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LO
co\\
September 13, 1999
A companion to Roadrunner Online
http://www.utsa.edu/roadrunner/index.html
NEWSLETTER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT SAN ANTONIO
$1.8 Million Grant Funds
UTSA-NISD Partnership
T TTSA will receive more than $1.8 mil-
\^J lion from the U.S. Department of
Education over the next five years to help
local students become better prepared for
college, beginning at the sixth-grade level.
Through a national initiative, the
Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for
Undergraduate Program or GEAR UP, the
grant establishes a partnership between
UTSA and the Northside Independent
School District's Anson Jones and Sam
Rayburn middle schools, where up to 75
percent of students are academically at risk.
Under the program, about 1,500 students
from the two schools and their parents will
be eligible to attend workshops explaining
the college admissions process, financial
aid and career-related, goal setting.
Working with mentors and counselors,
each student will develop a personal
"roadmap to college," noting key grade-
appropriate milestones.
GEAR UP scholarships will provide both
an impetus and financial support for participants to continue to prepare for and enter
college in greater numbers, according to
UTSA's Upward Bound Project Director
Rene Cantu, who will oversee the effort.
"GEAR UP will reach students and parents but we'll also impact teachers and
counselors within the schools through rigorous training in college financial aid and
admissions procedures and in maintaining
higher expectations for at-risk students.
"The combination should achieve GEAR
UP's major goals of long-term, systemic
change with more students completing high
school and college degrees," Cantu added.
UTSA is the only area institution to
receive a 1999 GEAR UP grant, according
to Cantu.
SACS Task Forces Work to Complete
Report Drafts for University Feedback
Work on UTSA's reaffirmation accreditation with the Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is proceeding intensively. The date for final completion of reports and documents will be early in
2000, with the SACS visiting committee scheduled to be on campus April
24-27.
UTSA is seeking reaffirmation of its accreditation under an alternative,
thematic model that asks how the university can become a more learner-centered institution in the next decade and beyond. James Schneider, associate
professor of history and incoming Faculty Senate president, is serving as
director of the SACS reaffirmation of accreditation self-study.
The full SACS study will result in two reports: one from the thematic
committee on the learner-centered theme, the other a more traditional report
from the compliance committee that responds to a set of 550 institutional
"must" statements prescribed by SACS. The report's compliance part also
contains a chapter requiring UTSA to demonstrate how it has used planning
and assessment processes to ensure continuous improvement.
Both reports will be in final form early in 2000 so they can be bound,
printed and provided to committee members in advance of their trip.
Although the compliance portion of the report asks the institution to identify issues and propose future action and gives evidence of how UTSA has
evaluated itself, the alternative thematic learner-centered study part goes
much further.
Through the thematic committee, UTSA has conducted a grassroots planning exercise that should play a significant role in how the institution defines
and directs itself. Five task forces are working on reports on the major challenges facing UTSA in its efforts to become more learner-centered.
Marian Martinello, professor of education and thematic committee chair,
said the task forces are focusing on topics of major concern to UTSA's key
constituent groups.
Following a series of meetings with representatives of these groups held
last fall through this spring, the following topics emerged:
-faculty performance incentives and rewards;
-staff performance incentives and rewards;
-student learning and development;
-instructional program development; and
-culture and community.
This fall, drafts of the task force reports will be sent to the UTSA community for commentary. At a mid-semester forum set for Oct. 28, the reports
will be further discussed before being woven together into the final self-
study document. A second, final forum on the reports will be held Jan. 28.
More information on the SACS study is available in Business Building
Room 4.04.28A (the self-study office, phone 458-4121) or online at
http://www.utsa.edu/aviso/sacs/index.htm.

LO
co\\
September 13, 1999
A companion to Roadrunner Online
http://www.utsa.edu/roadrunner/index.html
NEWSLETTER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT SAN ANTONIO
$1.8 Million Grant Funds
UTSA-NISD Partnership
T TTSA will receive more than $1.8 mil-
\^J lion from the U.S. Department of
Education over the next five years to help
local students become better prepared for
college, beginning at the sixth-grade level.
Through a national initiative, the
Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for
Undergraduate Program or GEAR UP, the
grant establishes a partnership between
UTSA and the Northside Independent
School District's Anson Jones and Sam
Rayburn middle schools, where up to 75
percent of students are academically at risk.
Under the program, about 1,500 students
from the two schools and their parents will
be eligible to attend workshops explaining
the college admissions process, financial
aid and career-related, goal setting.
Working with mentors and counselors,
each student will develop a personal
"roadmap to college," noting key grade-
appropriate milestones.
GEAR UP scholarships will provide both
an impetus and financial support for participants to continue to prepare for and enter
college in greater numbers, according to
UTSA's Upward Bound Project Director
Rene Cantu, who will oversee the effort.
"GEAR UP will reach students and parents but we'll also impact teachers and
counselors within the schools through rigorous training in college financial aid and
admissions procedures and in maintaining
higher expectations for at-risk students.
"The combination should achieve GEAR
UP's major goals of long-term, systemic
change with more students completing high
school and college degrees," Cantu added.
UTSA is the only area institution to
receive a 1999 GEAR UP grant, according
to Cantu.
SACS Task Forces Work to Complete
Report Drafts for University Feedback
Work on UTSA's reaffirmation accreditation with the Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is proceeding intensively. The date for final completion of reports and documents will be early in
2000, with the SACS visiting committee scheduled to be on campus April
24-27.
UTSA is seeking reaffirmation of its accreditation under an alternative,
thematic model that asks how the university can become a more learner-centered institution in the next decade and beyond. James Schneider, associate
professor of history and incoming Faculty Senate president, is serving as
director of the SACS reaffirmation of accreditation self-study.
The full SACS study will result in two reports: one from the thematic
committee on the learner-centered theme, the other a more traditional report
from the compliance committee that responds to a set of 550 institutional
"must" statements prescribed by SACS. The report's compliance part also
contains a chapter requiring UTSA to demonstrate how it has used planning
and assessment processes to ensure continuous improvement.
Both reports will be in final form early in 2000 so they can be bound,
printed and provided to committee members in advance of their trip.
Although the compliance portion of the report asks the institution to identify issues and propose future action and gives evidence of how UTSA has
evaluated itself, the alternative thematic learner-centered study part goes
much further.
Through the thematic committee, UTSA has conducted a grassroots planning exercise that should play a significant role in how the institution defines
and directs itself. Five task forces are working on reports on the major challenges facing UTSA in its efforts to become more learner-centered.
Marian Martinello, professor of education and thematic committee chair,
said the task forces are focusing on topics of major concern to UTSA's key
constituent groups.
Following a series of meetings with representatives of these groups held
last fall through this spring, the following topics emerged:
-faculty performance incentives and rewards;
-staff performance incentives and rewards;
-student learning and development;
-instructional program development; and
-culture and community.
This fall, drafts of the task force reports will be sent to the UTSA community for commentary. At a mid-semester forum set for Oct. 28, the reports
will be further discussed before being woven together into the final self-
study document. A second, final forum on the reports will be held Jan. 28.
More information on the SACS study is available in Business Building
Room 4.04.28A (the self-study office, phone 458-4121) or online at
http://www.utsa.edu/aviso/sacs/index.htm.